The combination of Bubble Gum and Juicy Fruit (Fruity Juice) is the recipe for any sweet-toothed cadet, if not for the exotic, soaring effects, then at least for a taste that strikes you like ripping open a pouch of Big League Chew™. BubbleGum has been refined over the years to capture that exact palate, matched with head-in-clouds-high, and Juicy Fruit is the mouth-watering union of pure Afghani and Thai genetics in a quintessential hybrid. So you can imagine how pumped we were to sample a shatter version of the strain from Karmaceuticals, albeit with some OG thrown in for good measure.

 The specimen’s clear amber hue was like a “sweet caramel sauce,” and “very candy-like,” but it was all-around stable and impressive. We were impressed by the expertly-achieved texture, like “hardened honey,” as the shatter held a thumbprint but without annoying stickiness. The sweet aromas of creamy citrus, reminiscent of juicy fruit and bubble-gum, emanated with resounding racy terpiness. And the taste - the taste! --  was like mango smoothie.

 First hits were exhilarating and psychedelic. The blast-off was accompanied by the immediate and sudden urge to sit down and sprawl out on bean bag chair or bed. Dizzied, the initial blow was enough to ground us for 10-20 minutes before able-bodied recovery. From there, it was an uplifting and thought-provoking ride, humorous and light--at least for the first hour.

 The shatter opened conversation quickly. Blurry-eyed, we broke into a round of story-telling, energized as if at the pinnacle of a night out with friends. Bob Marley’s “We Jammin’” was the first choice of music, and a lilt of happiness seemed to fall over the room. Moments of quiet rarely came, but when they did, the intense personal introspection was almost overwhelming.

Munchies resulted in pizza and ice cream and most everyone was ravenous. We paired with raspberry lemonade and Kool-Aid.

 For a while, we were able to carry on normal functioning usefulness.“I cleaned my bong and helped organize the garage,” a critic wrote. “And when the rig fell off the table, I caught it like a ninja.” But over time the narrative became a couch-locking, narcotic quicksand. We had to slow down, fight the Z’s. But it didn’t kill the buzz. “Everything is too amusing!” remarked another. “I wish I was at Red Rocks listening to live music.”

 Not everyone was, at the end of 3-4 hours, ready to go out. “I was happy and fell asleep,” wrote one lethargic critic. “It got me a little spacy. My mood is subtle.” Most everyone recommended use in late afternoon, and preferred vape to dab rig. Overall, the shatter made for a dependable selection for any choosy cadet’s repertoire, with euphoric thrills, and a taste that goes above and beyond.

Photography from Ry Prichard of Cannabis Encyclopedia